Sahara: Parliamentary Assembly of Europe's Council for a a mutually accepted political solution
Morocco-European Union, Politics, 1/25/2005

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has reaffirmed its "strong support" to the efforts made by the UN secretary general and his personal envoy to reach a "mutually acceptable political solution" to the Sahara conflict.

This dispute opposes Morocco to the Algeria-backed Polisario group that is claiming the separation of Morocco's southern provinces (known as the Sahara), that were retrieved from the Spanish occupation in 1975 under accords with Madrid and Nouakchott.

In a resolution on the Sahara question, the Parliamentary Assembly, convening on January 24-28 in Strasburg, called on "neighbouring countries to cooperate with the UN for a fair and final solution to the conflict."

The Assembly highlighted the need "not to forget the humanitarian aspect" of this question, calling on the Polisario to "accelerate the release" of the remaining Moroccan prisoners of war. Some of these PoW have been held in detention by the Polisario for nearly three decades in contempt of the international law.

A Moroccan soldier repatriated Saturday to Morocco after 17 years of detention, died Monday in Marrakech as a result of his poor health condition.

The Parliamentary Assembly also expressed "support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that pays regular visits to the prisoners and extends medical assistance to them."

The Assembly, comprising 630 members, is a body of the Council of Europe that groups 46 countries from the European continent.

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